The battle on the floating fortress is over, but the quest to recover the scattered remains of Emperor Gaz is too important to delay. As Chaika and her companions seek out the hero Claudia in order to obtain the heart, they race against Red Chaika, who seeks the hero, Guy, who possesses one of the arms.

Even as Chaika struggles to learn the new magical skills required to defeat Claudia, a startling new revelation comes to light which may change their mission entirely: not all of Gaz’s magic research was destroyed, and information regarding the creation of the Chaikas may have been taken to a mysterious island!

With the possibility of uncovering the secrets behind their mysterious origins dangled in front of them, the Chaikas must decide whether or not they want to find the hidden island and brave its unknown perils. Could the entire thing be a trap?

It’s highly likely, but how can they resist the bait as the spellbinding adventure continues in CHAIKA THE COFFIN PRINCESS – AVENGING BATTLE!

Commentary:

After almost 10 months Chaika returns to complete the series. Chaika the Coffin Princess Avenging Battle is more than the second season it manages to take the series to another level. There was much less concentration on the harem aspects and real focus on the plot and character development. The simple fact that all of the characters knew what they were after and set their sights on completing their mission was very helpful in drawing a clear line between them. As the mystery unfolded for both the viewer and the lead characters it became obvious that there had to be some soul searching as the final battle drew close.

Overall Grade: A-

Unlike the first season of Chaika the Coffin Princess, Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle is much faster and full of action. The plot develops at a lightening pace which is great if you are in a hurry to get to the end. I enjoyed it but felt like there could have been a little more story development to help explain everything that was going on. Even with the shortened length I still felt like there was plenty of information and lots of excitement. I was even pleased with the ending.

It was refreshing to have the series focus on the end and also loose some of the emphasis on the Moe and Harem aspects to provide a solid series that has plenty of characters that anyone can connect with.

If you liked the first season of Chaika then you will love Chaika The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle. If you haven’t seen the first season and are interested in some fun and excitement then you should check out the series from the beginning. I think you should be hooked and ready to see the rest.

The end of the war with the Gaz Empire only meant unemployment for former Saboteur Toru Acura. So when he collides with fate in the form of a young girl carrying a coffin through a forest, it doesn’t take much convincing for Toru and his similarly inclined step-sister Akari to join young wizard Chaika on her bizarre quest: to collect the scattered body parts of the former Emperor.

Unfortunately, the severed pieces were carried off by the Heroes who killed him, and some think that reassembling them could restart the war! On top of that, Chaika may not be who she claims to be, as there are others conducting similar missions all across the kingdoms. Is Chaika a dead man’s daughter, picking up the pieces for burial, or is there something far more sinister in the works? The winds of war are stirring and there are dragons waiting in the darkness ahead for Chaika The Coffin Princess!

Commentary:

Chaika The Coffin Princess is not what I expected. I was thoughtful and full of dark mystery. The series first came across as just another dark fantasy, but as it progressed I found the plot to be much thicker and well developed. You never really know who or what Chaika is but it does become easy to by into the little group because of the blind faith that Toru who is looking for a reason to live.

The other thing that makes it easy to like this series is the animation. Bones does a lot of different animation it doesn’t always work, but for Chaika the look and feel is spot on. The story fits the fanciful world they live in and helps keep things moving along. That being said I am getting a little tired of seeing the magical rings show up in every show to evidence some summons or spell being cast. It is over used I think it would have worked just fine without it.

Overall Grade: B+

Chaika the Coffin Princess is a strong fantasy that give you enough story and plot to make it worth while to get involved in. As it worked toward the end of the first 12 episodes I was hoping for more information and maybe even a secret or two to be revealed, but I was left wanting more. Sometimes it is a terrible way to setup a series but when the story and plot are strong enough it is a wonderful way to move the series along. Chaika the Coffin Princess voice acting was rather tight and caught the feeling exceptionally well. The only draw back was Crystal LaPort who played Fredrika. She came across whinny and took to the high pitch end all too much that it became annoying, much the way Monica Rail plays many of her characters. It is just too much.

Chaika the Coffin Princess is a great option for the fantasy lover. It should be easy to get past the tired Lolita crap laid out with Chaika and get into the story. For those of you looking for something different then this might be just what you are looking for. I found much of the drama and action that is found in Sword Art Online and some of the solid plot of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Space Dandy is a dandy guy in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be quick on his feet because it’s first come first served! Accompanied by his sidekicks, a rundown robot named QT and Meow the cat-looking space alien, Dandy bravely explores unknown worlds inhabited by a variety aliens. Join the best dressed alien hunter in all of space and time as he embarks on an adventure that ends at the edge of the universe!

Commentary:

Space Dandy Season 2 upholds the insanity that started off on the first half of the series and takes you to another level of both stupidity and confusion. To say the least I found myself enjoying this group of episodes much better than the first group. Even with the story taking on so many strange turns and nonsensical events that I finally was able to connect with several of the strange group of characters and almost wanted to see two of them finally find the love they were searching for.

In this second group of 13 episodes I did discover a side of Dandy that didn’t turn me off and also made it easier to watch. The absurdity that follows in almost every episode kept me scratching my head and made me want to kept watching. I also enjoyed all of homage and parody to Anime and the silly Sci Fi world we all live in. It remixed me of some of the humor from Stein’s Gate but never really gave any focus to how the story wove together. Space Dandy is one of the shows that you can get everything you need from one or two episodes and even after watching all 26 episodes you may still never figure out what it was all about.

Overall Grade: B

I have to say that the last 13 episodes felt much more put together and polished, and at the same time had very little focus. I had many laughs and enough confusion with what was going on to leave me wondering and interested enough to stick with the show. It is truly a strange series with plenty to make you smile.

The true strength of the series is the animation. I saw plenty of work that reminded me of Red Line and also a short anime clip in the live action film A Taste of Tea. The fast movement and colorful blend of color does several things for the series, It keeps the action fresh and also makes everything very lively. There are several episodes that employ a flatter more muted color pallet but the artistic aesthetic keeps the anime fresh and very easy to watch. Over the history of anime there have been many series that employ several different art styles and some of them like Samurai Champloo have managed to he very successful. I’m not sure that Space Dandy will command the iconic status of a classic anime, but only time will tell.

Things are looking grim for Earth’s defenders. Although Daichi and Teppai have managed to slow or stop most of the Planetary Gear’s direct attacks so far using their Impacters and Livlasters, there’s no denying that the numbers are slowly turning against them. Not only have their opponents managed to recruit a half dozen of the Designer Children, but now new cracks are forming in the Midsummer’s Knights’ own alliance.

During a brief break at the seaside, Hana’s confusion over her own nature and her relationship with Daichi comes to a head, leading to an unexpected revelation. But as stunned as Daichi might be, it’s nothing compared to the shock that Kube is about to receive at the hands of his own allies. Twists, betrayals, and amazing new powers are about to be unleashed, a new Livlaster joins the Knights, and Setsuna finally comes out of seclusion to let loose her own brand of mayhem as the war for Earth’s Orgone energy builds to the inevitable climax.

Commentary:

Captain Earth does something that is relatively common in the anime world and that is rely on a rather old narrative to follow through the second half of the series. After the first few episodes of collection 2 I realized that I was seeing a rehash of decades of battle anime unfold in front of my eyes. Now as a fan of the art form I realize that this looks cool and says a lot about the cultural aesthetic of the Japanese. I just wish I could see a new approach to how the protagonist and antagonist end their conflict.

Captain Earth also takes the love of ones environment and makes it a key feature in the outcome of the battle. For Captain Earth it was all too clear that the Kill-T-Gang was going to either sub-come to the natural beauty of the planet they wanted to devour or that they would perish by the hands of a weaker foe who just so happens to have a faith and love that will overcome all obstetrical. As much as this archetype is I don’t think it was the best modus operandi.

Overall Grade: B

Even with the tired plot devices I still enjoyed Captain Earth and feel like all Mecha fans will find something in it that they will like. For the non Mecha fandom I would think they will shy away from the series just because it is simply a Shonen Mecha.

I will say that the animation is top notch for a series that relies heavily on CG. Studio Bones did their standard quality production that allows the series to live or die based on the writing and voice actors. So, simply put, if you are a fan of the Mech series then Captain Earth is for you.

When 14-year-old Tsugumi discovers her ability to transform into a weapon, she decides to enroll at Death Weapon Meister Academy, or DWMA. There, she hones her skills, and practices with other weapons and the meisters who wield them.

With the help of Maka and the others Tsugumi, Meme and Anya will discover the importance of friendship and the how to appreciate each other for who they really are.

Commentary:

If you are looking for another Soul Eater, well all I can say in NOT!. Soul Eater NOT!may be placed in the same world and have some of the same general feel it is not the same type of series at all. Where Soul Eater is all about the action and bizarreness of the world they live in, Soul Eater Not is all about these 3 girls. After a few episodes I looked over and mentioned to a friend watching the series with me and said this feels like Soul Eater meets K-On!

Now I’m not saying it doesn’t have some of the classic Soul Eater flavor. It still has plenty of the strange characters and colorful world known as Death City and the DWMA. As you move through the series you get to see most of the old favorites and try to guess when the series takes place. I am convinced that it is after the original series, but there are things that make you stop and think maybe not. I’ll leave that up to you.

Overall Garde: B+

Being a huge fan of Soul Eater I was looking forward to Soul Eater NOT! and at first I was a little disappointed, but as the series wound though its paces I came to appreciate it for what it is. I do have a weak spot for slice of life stories and think that series that explore friendship and self awareness tend to get deeper in character development that just the action series. Now Soul Eater Not really didn’t have the time to get into solid character development, but it did give us several fun and easy to connect with characters and the 3 girls were all very much likable and very sympathetic.

I have a feeling that there will be plenty of Soul Eater fans that will pass on this fun little series just because it is more of a slice of life rather than action adventure. I hope everyone gives Soul Eater NOT! a try I believe they will enjoy it.

When Daichi Manatsu sees a mysterious rainbow appearing near the Tanegashima Space Center, he immediately recognizes it as being similar to an apparition that formed when his father was killed in a mysterious accident years earlier. Traveling to Tanegashima, Daichi quickly finds himself involved with the machinations of Globe, a secret agency created to defend mankind from extraterrestrial forces.

While it might seem like a big job for a mere teenager, it turns out that the skills Daichi has honed on video games combined with a special weapon called the Livlaster make Daichi ideally suited for operating the Earth Engine Impacter. A giant robot, the Earth Engine may be mankind’s best hope against aliens whose goal is to completely drain our world’s lifeforce energy. Fortunately, Daichi won’t be on his own. He’s quickly joined by a group of equally dedicated young people who all have their own skills and abilities to contribute to the battle.

Commentary:

There are a plethora of Mecha titles coming out recently and most of them follow a rather tried and true format and some follow a rather static formula. Captain Earth is no exception and in many ways it manages to mirror one of the more remarkable mecha series ever released. I know that the art world is known for building on the ideas of their predecessors and the commonalities that Captan Earth has to Eureka Seven is a classic example. With that said I don’t want to knock Captain Earth because I find it to be a very entertaining series and Yoji Enokido managed to bring in enough different elements that makes this series more of a next step in the evolution of the plot device rather than a blatant ripoff of the original Eureka Seven story.

The overall feel of the series was strong and moved with a solid pace so that it never felt like it was loosing focus. We are feed enough information and character development to keep us interested in these kids and also positively rooting for their cause. It takes several episodes to discover the real threat the Earth is under and the other unknowns are rolled out with a measured consistency.

The only real drawback to the series so far is the protagonist. In particular the super computer PAC. I found the fact that this computer managed to take on some all too human qualities that flat out contradict its logical superiority. Anyway, I found some of the darker elements of the story to have less than solid development.

Overall Grade: B+

The thing about Captain Earth that I enjoy is the fact that it continually give you a boost of positive reinforcement toward the main characters. And also gives a central player who needs all of the supporting cast to make their survial possible.

The overall animation of the series is typical Bones quality. The production values are high enough to make it easy to watch the series and yet some of the CG aspects are average at best. I realized while watching the series how important a lush sky is. I got a positive reaction every time I saw the deep cerulean blue background with puffy white cotton ball clouds slowly passing and understood the importance in reminding the viewer how important saving humanity and the Earth is to the series.

I am looking forward to the second half of the series and truly hope that the story says on track. If you are looking for a solid Mecha that has similarities to Eureka Seven then you should get in line to check Captain Earth out, I know you will like it.

At what point is a human life more important than any other life? Also what makes a human being, is it the ability to live based on emotion or is the inability to utilize cool logic to control your action?

Synopsis:Darker Than Black takes place in Tokyo after the emergence of the Heaven and Hell Gates that changed the world forever. The area around Heavens Gate has become inaccessible and over 100 million lives were lost in its destruction. Hells Gate in Tokyo has begun to show unusual activity and contractors have become more involved in the area. When the Gates first appears the sky changed and all of the stars became false images. The one thing about these false stars is that they were all connected to a person on earth. The person associated with each star gained an unusual power and when they used the power they had to pay a price. The powers can range from turning their handprints or blood into a bombs, transporting themselves or others they touch through space and time or even changing things at the molecular level. The name contractor comes for the unknown contract they enter into when they discover their power. They must pay a price every time they use their power and the price is typically something they do not enjoy from having to smoke a cigarette to breaking their own fingers.
The contractors also lost their emotional bearings when they entered into the contract and are cold and calculating persons who are viewed as less than human. They have become assassins or governmental field agents doing the dirty work. With their powers and apparent lack of emotion the end up being the perfect agent but there seems to be something happening and things just might be about to change forever.
The series revolves around a small group that is associated with a secretive syndicate that seems to have some very deep connections. They always get the best intel and have a knack of being in the right place at the right time. Our main protagonist is Hei, aka the Black Reaper or BK-201, appears to be just another college student trying to make his way in the world. He is partnered with Yin a Doll or spirit medium, doll are basically shells of people that can project themselves out into the community as long as they are in contact with natural substance like water, power lines or even windows. The Dolls are very much emotionless and almost void of any personalities. The next partner is Mao, the black cat. He is a contractor that can project himself into animals, the big problem for him is that his body was last and he lives his life as a black cat, who just so happens to be a great spy. The last member of the team is the field supervisor, Huang. Huang is a normal human and former police office until he lost his wife when she turned out to a contractor and killed his partner.
This group seems to just be following order until the appearance of the rouge Contractor group Evening Primrose, who seem to be interested in seeing the same thing happen at Hells Gate that happened at Heaves Gate. The leader of Evening Primrose also happens to be an old friend of Hei’s and is after him to join their group, but Hei believes that she had something to do with his sisters disappearance and would rather destroy her.

Throughout the series all roads point to this union and the mystery of what really happened at Heavens gate. The cast of Characters is a large and lively bunch and the action and drama leads to an exciting conclusion.

Commentary:Darker Than Black is one of those series that gives a rich and colorful backdrop to the age old question as to what does it really mean to be human. The development of the story leads us to believe that Contractors have lost their humanity and are nothing more than tool, but this viewpoint can be seen throughout history toward any group that does not fit the norm. With their special powers and strange rituals that must be made in payment for use of the powers it makes them also seem like super-humans. I think that the way that the Contractor’s existence is first portrayed and then later evolved into something much different provides of that connection that need to happen for this series to have its real impact. The team of Hei, Yin, Mao and Huang is a microcosm for the series. You get to see these characters grow and develop and become something more than just a machine directed by the syndicate’s puppet masters.
I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the highly emotional team lead and the blank void of Yin the Doll. I also enjoyed moving through this series and discovering that there is something hidden just below the surface on each of these complicated beings.
I must applaud Tensai Okamura for providing such a rich environment for these characters to develop. There is a lot going on but all of the plot devices do not collapse and make things too complicated.
The animation and overall quality is also at a level that help to keep the dramatic feel moving and helps maintain the overall quality of the series. My hat is off to the staff at Bone for the superb quality and attention to detail that they provided for this series.

Overall Grade: A
If Sci Fi drama is your bag, then Darker Than Black is for you. The creation of the series and the pacing will not leave you wanting for more. It deserves every bit of an A. It is great to see Funimation re-release this awesome series in this premium Blu-ray edition and reintroduce it to a new generation of serious anime fans.

Title: Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor
Director: Tensai Okamura
Studio: Bones
U. S. Distributor: Funimation Entertainment
U. S. Re-Release Date: May 12th, 2015
Format: Blu-ray and DVD/ 400 Minutes / 12 episodes and 4 OVAs
Genre: Sci Fi, Action , Adventure, Drama
Age Rating: TV MA (due to violence)
Overall Personal Rating: A
It’s been 2 years and everything is all messed up. It looks like something big is about to happen and Hei and Yin appear to be at the heart of it, but why?

Synopsis:
Drunk and working for the CIA Hei is on the trail a boy Shion Pavlichenko who seems to be the key to the wakening of Izanami, a doll that is prophesied to be the destroyer or killer of contractors. Hei makes a move for Shion at the same time that the Syndicate also moves in along with the Russian authorities. Shion escapes and everyone thinks that his twin sister, Suou, is him. Hei ends up helping Suou escape but in the escape they are caught in a trap that ends up turning her into a contractor.
Hei takes her under his wing and trains her to become a killing machine. Because of the loss of Yin, Hei has become a drunk and a mean drunk at that. There is also Mao, who has come back and ended up in the body of a flying squirrel that is Suou’s pet. At one point the Doll, April, who was also working for MI6 and helping the CIA breaks ranks and joins forces with Hei, Suou and Mao. The four of them begin to make their way back to Japan in search of Suou’s mother and brother. Along the way the begin to discover the secrets about Suou’s brother and his connection to Izanami and also Yin’s connection to both. All of the character along with some new ones are back for this next chapter in the Darker Than Black Saga.
In this edition there are also the four OVA’s that should be watched first. They provide the gap between the first 25 episodes and this 12.

Commentary:
First off, be sure to watch the four OVA’s first. There is a good deal of information in those four that the opening of Gemini of the Meteor won’t be confusing. I watch as the series progressed and then sat down with the OVA’s and caught myself saying more than once ” Now I get it!”.
This series is true Darker Than Black. From the very opening you get sucked into some seemingly normal existence and watch it get turned upside down. You also get to see people go from being regular humans to becoming Contractors and lose their humanity and compassion. As you move through these episodes you will find yourself trying to make a connection with Suou to have those perceptions turned upside down later in the series.
The over all look of the series was great. From the animation to the blending of the soundtrack everything merged together and made a complete package. In many ways I would have enjoyed this being a little bit longer to maybe allow for more of the newer character to develop, but in the end I was happy with what I was given. I found the playing with Hei’s character to be most rewarding. Giving him even more humanity than before helped to express the impact he had on those around him. The one thing I also enjoyed was the way that April, the stoic doll, managed to become more than just a watcher, he managed to get some emotional evolvement.
Again I can’t stress enough how important it will be to watch the OVAs before you start the series. They provide some serious back fill that will help make the first few episodes even more meaningful. After watching the OVAs I went back and watched the first four episodes again and was blown away by how much more it all made sense to me.Overall Grade: A
Being a true fan of this style of hard Sci Fi drama, Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor has everything in it from the tormented hero to helpless girl who ends up being anything from helpless to the core of the opposing forces that have their own agenda. The intrigue is top notch, I just wish there would have been a little more.

Rocket into the outer limits with the one and only Dandy! This dreamy space case and his to-die-for pompadour jet across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Capturing rare species may pay the bills, baby, but Dandy would rather kick back and enjoy the scenery at the nearest Boobies. Joined by his misfit sidekicks – a rundown vacuum cleaner robot called QT and Meow the alien space cat – Dandy boldly goes where no daper don has ever gone before. Hotly pursued by the chimp-faced Dr. Gel, the adventures of Dandy and the gang will make you laugh, then cry, and then laugh till you cry all over again. Buckle up for blast off, baby! You’re cruising with the Dandy now, and he don’t stop till the end of the universe.

The only real question you have to ask yourself is why are you crying?

Commentary:

Hailed as the next Cowboy Bebop, Space Dandy blasted onto the market with a larger than life marketing campaign by Funimation and a mega hyped ideal that can only lead to one possible outcome. That outcome is undoubtedly disappointment and a sense that the sales man got the better of you. Now I can say that it is a home run in the 14 to 25 male age group because of the fixation on the female form and the insane way it confuses the viewer in a large number of the episodes. Of course, the real test is how does if fair amongst the rest of the anime fandom. Strangely enough there is a simplistic following that is not surprising yet rather discouraging.

Space Dandy is not totally devoid of entertainment factors and in many ways it tries to take on the absurd mantle similar to series like Fooly Cooly. It certainly throughs some curve balls at you and leaves you scatting your head as to what is really going on. There is also plenty of comedic relief throughout the series. I did find myself laughing and shaking my head at some of the antics.

Overall Grade: B-

Without being to harsh on this nonsensical series I was disappointed in how the first season has played out. It is very possible that this is a trap the lead us into something new and different in the second half, but until I have see episodes 13-26 I just won’t be able to comment.

The animation is the highlight and the bold artistry provided by the people at Bones is evident and much appreciated. They continue to prove that they take a series and help create something special unto itself. This ability to adapt and give us an art style or styles that compliment the series rather than look like everything else they have done. For Space Dandy Bones has given us a bright and colorful experience that keeps the action moving and also provides eye candy for the brain when the story failed to meet the challenge. I have a funny feeling that the video game would be much more entertaining.

If you love fast funny and somewhat stupid series that are bright and tend to provide a little adrenaline as to sit back and take it in then Space Dandy is for you. If you are looking for the next Cowboy Bebop then you really need to look elsewhere.

Animeggroll : St Louis Anime Store

November 2017

Animeggroll has moved to Taubman Prestige Outlet, located at 17057 (space 152) North Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield, Mo 63005. Please note, our hours are listed below and that we are closed on Mondays.

We are a St. Louis anime store established in October 2010.

Regular Hours:
Monday Closed
Tue-Th 11-8
Fri 11-9
Sat 11-8
Sun 11-6

We carry a variety of Japanese Pop Culture Items. From anime (DVD, Blu-Ray, VHS, Laser Disc, new and used), then about 5,000 manga, add in Gundam models, wall scrolls, figures, Bento boxes and bento box supplies, plush, key chains, necklaces, buttons, pins, T-shirts, bags, Japanese erasers and more. For photos, look under the about us selection.

We carry new and used for a greater variety. We buy and trade. We are unable to take all items. Please call first to make sure we have someone to evaluate your items.